The Honda Racing Ridgeline team took their second straight podium finish at the Best In The Desert series, Vegas to Reno race, (V2R). V2R is the longest offroad race in the United States at nearly 550 miles in length. With back to back podium finishes in 500 mile races, the team is firing on all cylinders heading into the 50thanniversary running of the SCORE Baja 1000 on November 14-18 in Baja, Mexico.

The V2R course runs through incredibly tough terrain in remote Northern Nevada. Most of the course is littered with loose rocks and covered in silt, the fine dust particles deposited in deep pockets by the wind. The silt has the same consistency as baby powder and the potential to grind any moving parts into submission. If you make it through the silt, the final 30 miles of the course consists of exposed shards of solid rock with loose boulders thrown in for good measure. The lack of any substantial wind left the silt to hang in the air; leaving drivers blinded for a majority of the race. The Honda team was walking a tightrope, the narrow course, for over 500 miles while blindfolded.

After constructing their technically advanced Honda Ridgeline race truck, and refining it for top performance, they are now focusing on the fine details of the team’s operation. “We practice our pit stops to shave precious seconds in the pits,” says Jeff Proctor, “We have the truck dialed in; it’s fast and reliable. Hitting the throttle on the Honda Performance Development twin turbo HR35TT 3.5L V6 engine is a guilty pleasure. We started third at V2R and were leading at pit one. Soon we were moving up through the V8 powered 6100 trucks that started ahead of us. Our pit stops were flawless all day. When we stop, we dump 55 gallons of race fuel, and swap tires before heading back out. At pit 10, Honda Senior Manager of Public Relations, Sage Marie took over driving. Sage has an extensive racing resume. That’s one of the best things about working with Honda; everyone has such a deep passion for motorsports and performance.”

After pit 14, Marie had a 2 minute lead over second place but needed 3.5 minutes to take the win. They told them to turn it up. The miles of blinding dust took its toll when they missed a dog leg turn by inches and slide off the course. They came to a rest on their side in a group of trees. It seemed like a disaster but you learn in offroad racing to never give up. Best In The Desert officials were nearby and offered assistance to get them back on their wheels. Without skipping a beat, they returned to the fray, and still finished in third place on the podium. The entire team showed poise and determination throughout the race. The Baja 1000 will travel around 1150 miles. They will need every bit of ingenuity and resolve when the head south. “The team is working so well together, we are really excited about the Baja 1000.” Jeff Proctor.